By Michael McMullan

DERRY captain Conor Glass faces a race against time ahead of the Oakleafers’ Ulster Championship opener against Fermanagh after being replaced in Sunday’s defeat to Dublin.

Glass kicked a point in the opening half before assisting Shane McGuigan to a score on their way to interval lead, 0-6 to 0-4.

The Glen man appeared to injure himself on the throw-in at the beginning of the second half and replaced three minutes later after Dublin’s first goal.

“He nipped his hamstring,” manager Rory Gallagher said after the game. “It’s minor but with the championship only 13 days out…it’s the same with Chrissy (McKaigue), he could have played today if it was a championship game.

“With Conor, it was just (a case of) get him out of there. It’s not a long-term injury, he just nipped it, but it’s still gonna be a race against time.

“We won’t be taking any risks with him, it’s gonna be a long summer no matter what with the new format. It was obviously disappointing, I thought he started the game really well.

“One of the big pluses for ourselves is that himself and Brendan, we have a midfield that’s the real deal. In the first half the two of them were outstanding,” Gallagher said, who also admitted that Eoin McEvoy could always have started on Sunday but wasn’t risked before coming on as a late replacement for Paudi McGrogan.

Derry open the defence of their title against Fermanagh in Brewster Park on Saturday, April 15.